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United States ready to take on Lionel Messi, Argentina

HOUSTON -- About an hour before kickoff between the United States and Belgium in the second round of the 2014 World Cup, U.S. Soccer's official Twitter handle blasted out a lineup graphic that supposedly had the Americans deployed in an attacking 4-3-3 formation.

They might even have been in one for the opening minutes of the match. Then Belgium began to impose their will on the Americans, pinning them into their own end for long stretches -- including almost the entire second half -- on the way to an eventual 2-1 win.

Two years later, in Tuesday's Copa America semifinal against Lionel Messi and world No.